Merton Council is working with the staff of Hillcross Primary School to improve the achievement of students after school inspectors identified several areas of concern.

New initiatives are in place to speed up progress after a recent Ofsted report called for teaching that challenges all students and tackles challenging behaviour.

Inspectors believed that special measures were necessary to ensure the school recovers from a difficult period. The report, did however, acknowledge that improvements are being made in teaching and learning and that relationships between teachers and students are generally good.

In response to this analysis, systems have been put in place to monitor the progress of students more closely and ensure their concerns are being heard.

To make sure students feel safe and supported at school, teachers are building on the Healthy School and Activemark status it achieved recently and improving playtimes even further.

Acting headteacher, Julian Greenfield, said: “Staff at Hillcross Primary School are determined to move forward quickly and ensure students receive a quality education. We are confident that the initiatives that have now been put in place will help us achieve this.”

Director of Children, Schools and Families department, Dave Hill, stated: “Merton Council is working closely with the school and we’re already making progress. The commitment of staff and the hard work of pupils will ensure a swift recovery from this difficult period.”

Ofsted inspectors also outlined the strengths of the school.

Their report described the effectiveness of the Foundation Stage as outstanding with higher than average standards being achieved by the end of the Reception year.